HEEL AND TOE ONLINE

The official organ of the Victorian Race Walking Club 2016/2017 Number 29 18 April 2017

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WHAT'S COMING UP

Next weekend is a big one around the traps

• The Australian Little Athletics T&F Championships (U13) are to be held in on 22-23 April. I look forward reporting the results of the U13 1500m walks.

• Next weekend also sees the Coburg 24 Hour Carnival in the Melbourne suburb of Coburg. Quite a few of our ultra walkers will be in action and I’ll be there for the weekend. Start lists are available at http://www.coburg24hr.org/24hr/.

• The next edition of the World Masters Games kicks off in Auckland, NZ, next Friday. The Games will run from 21-30 April and will feature racewalks in the T&F section of its multisport format. See www.worldmastersgames2017.co.nz. I am sure that some of our Australian walkers will be there.

• Next Sunday sees the next of the big international races, with the Naumburg Carnival in Germany.

Looking further ahead

• The first VRWC races at our headquarters at Middle Park are to be held on Saturday 29th April. Races will then be held weekly until mid September. See the fixture at http://www.vrwc.org.au/vrwcw17.shtml.

• The Victorian 15km Roadwalk Championship is the first of the Victorian roadwalk championships for the winter and will be held on Sunday 14th May. Entries can now be completed online via the AV website – http://athsvic.org.au/event/av- 15km-walks-championships/.

• ACTRWC has now posted the LBG entry form and info sheet on its website at http://www.actwalkers.com.au/lbg- racewalking-carnival-2017-the-tradition-continues/. Remember you give your completed entry to your walking club secretary. All entries must go through your local walking club. Do not send entries directly to the Canberra organizers.

FINAL CHANCE TO ORDER YOUR RWV UNIFORM

This is your last chance for the year to to order Racewalking Victoria crop tops, bike shorts or hoodies. I have to finalise our order by Thursday 20th April. It's all online – you place your order for hoodies or crop tops or bike shorts at http://vrwc.org.au/wp1/rwv- uniforms/. You don't need to order singlets as we have plenty of them on stock at our clubrooms.

1 THE 50KM RACEWALK IS SAVED (FOR THE MOMENT)

The good news is that our world wide campaign to keep the 50km racewalk on the international calendar and the 2020 Olympics has been successful.

The online petition (https://www.change.org/p/ioc-iaaf-keep-the-50km-race-walk-in-the-olympics) was an amazing effort, given the one week timeframe. It ensured the issue got huge amounts of sympathetic traction in the world media and, as a result of lobbying at all levels, the IAAF Council voted unanimously last Thursday against recommending any changes to the 2020 Olympic T&F program.

This was a huge exercise for the us and many people must be thanked, including our elite walkers (including Chris Erickson who setup the petition), the 9380 people who signed the petition, and the IAAF Council. But special thanks must be made to USA Attorney at Law Paul de Meester who travelled to off his own bat, booked himself into the same hotel as the IAAF Council delegates and then caught up with and spoke to them all in the final days leading up to the vote. He presented each delegate with a superb summary document (see http://www.vrwc.org.au/documents/IAAF.pdf) and handed out out a post-conference press release (see http://www.vrwc.org.au/documents/De%20Meester%20Press%20Release.pdf) which, taken together, present a well argued and compelling case for the retention of the 50km walk and the need to work towards enhancing the event with a women’s division.

I offer no thanks to the IAAF Racewalking Committee who are the ones who got us into this mess.

It was with absolute surprise that, post conference, an online article praised RW Committee president for his spirited defence of the 50km, an action that had helped save it (see http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1049218/iaaf-to-keep- 50km-racewalk-on-programme-for--2020). I’m sorry – what was that I just wrote? Talk about complete hypocrisy. And others on the committee are now continuing to discuss the other issues like shoes, etc, just like it’s business as usual and all is forgotten and forgiven. Sorry, folks, that is not the case. The RW Committe should hang their heads in shame and should resign enmasse. They no longer have our confidence and support. They have sold out walking. We didn’t vote them in but we should vote them out!

Two articles you should read from the many

• Quentin Rew has nailed it as usual in his racewalking blog with this review of the IOC and the 50km. See http://morethanracewalking.blogspot.it/2017/04/olympic-hypocrisy.html.

• Insidethegames places the 50km discussions in the wider context of the many ridiculous ideas being proposed for the 2020 Games. See http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1049268/liam-morgan-majority-of-tokyo-2020-event-proposals-fail-to- tick-olympic-boxes

We have won a major reprieve but not a complete victory. The immediate task remains to grow the women's 50km event so that it can truly stand on its own as a legitimate championship event. For starters, that means we need to lobby our own national federations to schedule women's national 50km racewalking championships. Countries like USA, China, GBR, etc, do this but most don't as yet. Then we need to lobby regional championships and Games to add a women’s 50km, alongside or inside the mens's 50km. You can rest assured that we have won a battle only. The war against racewalking will continue.

Marciadalmondo has done a superb analysis in their latest press release (http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx? id=2771) and I will reproduce the table which shows that in the first 4 months of 2017, there have been 12 major 50km walk championships, with a total of 238 men and 25 women starting the races.

Venue Nation Men Women Date Porto de Mos POR 4 1 15.01 Schinias, Marathonas GRE 3 - 15.01 Santee USA 12 9 28.01 New Delhi IND 20 - 18.02 El Hierro, Valverde ESP 21 - 04.03 Huangshan CHN 56 9 05.03 Bragança Paulista BRA 6 1 05.03 La Roche-sur-Yon FRA 12 - 12.03 Monterrey MEX 21 - 19.03 Dudince SVK 34 2 25.03 Taicang CHN 21 3 16.04 Wajima JPN 28 - 16.04

Total 238 25

The analysis shows that, while the event is strongly supported on the men’s front, we have work to do to grow the women’s 50km event. Now that the IAAF has ratified a women’s world record, the momentum is building – we must each do our bit to help.

2 NSWRWC ROAD WALKS, CHIPPING NORTON, SYDNEY, SATURDAY 9 APRIL

Back a week for the opening round of the NSW Race Walking Club’s winter roadwalking season at Chipping Norton in Sydney. A good turnout with 36 walkers in action.

Long Division 8km U16 2km 1. Amanda Barendregt 45.59 1. Emma Thomas 11.17 2. Travis Barendregt 48.00 2. Ellie DeCelis 12.04 3. Anne Weekes 51.24 3. Chloe Krklinski 12.12 4. Brendan Pospischil 12.35 Medium Division 6km 5. Isabelle Nilon 12.48 1. Ryan Thomson 29.57 6. Chia Walters 13.05 2. Jack McGinniskin 32.22 7. Stacie Becroft 14.28 3. Jasmyn McDonald 33.15 8. Emily Challinor 19.06 4. Molly O'Neill 37.40 Kyle Bedford DNF U12 1km 1. Peter Elliott 5.30 Short Division 3km 2. Sienna Pitcher 6.19 1. Hannah Bolton 16.03 3. Thomas Varga-Strike 6.58 2. Renee Hardy 17.01 4. Sarah Challinor 7.19 3. Brittany Robertson 17.42 5. Ella Becroft 7.21 4. Hannah Parker 18.29 6. Amelia Crocker 8.51 5. Brooke Martin 19.08 6. Jada Thomson 19.15 U10 500m 7. Carmel Parker 20.42 1. Dylan Ryan 3.07 8. Chloe McLoughlin 21.39 2. Christopher Nilon 3.12 9. Nicolle Challinor 22.51 10. Nicole Nilon 22.52 11. Antoinette Woodward 24.32 12. Judy Brown 27.19

IAAF RACEWALKING CHALLENGE EVENT, TAICANG, CHINA, SATURDAY 22 APRIL

My report on the latest IAAF Racewalking Challenge event in Taicang, China, is taken from Vincent Wu's report for the IAAF (see https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/lu-bonfim-iaaf-race-walk-challenge-taicang).

20km Women The races were staged under sunny and hot conditions with the temperature soaring over 20C after the start of the women’s race at 8:00am. 23-year-old World silver medallist Lu Xiuzhi, who was the fastest woman on paper with a PB of 1:25:12, stayed in the leading pack together with her two teammates Na and Yang Jiayu as well as Brazilian record-holder Erica de Sena for most of the race before charging off for the win some 500 metres before the finish. Thanks to her powerful home stretch display, the vastly experienced Lu registered a winning time of 1:31:01, edging out Yang by just three seconds. Wang finished third in 1:31:09 while De Sena took fourth in 1:31:31. It is the second victory for Lu in 2017, following her world-leading 1:26:28 performance set when winning the Chinese National Grand Prix in Huangshang last month. Now, she has already set her eyes on the IAAF World Championship London 2017 as well as the Chinese National Games, a quadrennial multi-sport competition with great importance for most Chinese athletes.

“There are only three weeks between the two competitions. I will have to deal with the jet lag after returning from London and my physical conditions may also be a problem, ” said Lu, who is the defending National Games 20km champion.

1. Xiuzhi LU CHN 93 1:31:01 2. Jiayu YANG CHN 96 1:31:04 3. Na WANG CHN 95 1:31:09 4. Erica ROCHA DE SENA BRA 85 1:31:31 5. Khushbir KAUR IND 93 1:34:01 6. Alana BARBER NZL 87 1:35:28 7. Kaori KAWAZOE JPN 95 1:35:59 8. Da-Seul LEE KOR 96 1:37:38 Sau Man NG HKG 80 DNF

20km Men Unlike the women’s event that saw the pre-race favorite take the win, the men’s 20km race was wide-open following a series of withdrawals by Chinese elite walkers, with Olympic champion and silver medalist Cai Zelin both deciding to skip the race. Meanwhile, both the 2012 Olympic gold medalist and the in-form world leader Wang Kaihua only entered the Chinese National Grand Prix that was jointly held with the Challenge event in Taicang. As a result, the Chinese

3 team had to field the 38-year-old veteran Han Yucheng and relatively inexperienced Luo Yadong and Li Peng to compete in the Challenge race.

The 26-year-old Brazilian Caio Bonfim, who set his PB of 1:19:42 en route to his fourth-place finish at the Rio Olympics last year, held off Mexico’s Julio Cesar Salazar to win in 1:22:16. Salazar finished 42 seconds adrift. South Africa’s Lebogang Shange finished third in 1:23:45. It was the second time Shange has earned a podium finish at a challenge meet this season, following his second-place finish at the Oceania 20km Race Walk Championships in Adelaide in 1:21:00. The overall winner of the men’s race was China’s Wang Rui, who clocked 1:21:58 but he was only entered in the National Grand Prix team event. Neither Chen nor Kaihua managed to find their best form, as Kaihua finished fifth in 1:25:04 in the Grand Prix individual race and Chen clocked a sluggish 1:27:16 to finish 17th.

1. Caio Oliveira DE SENA BONFIM BRA 91 1:22:16 2. Julio Cesar SALAZAR MEX 93 1:22:58 3. Lebogang SHANGE RSA 90 1:23:45 4. Andres CHOCHO ECU 83 1:23:47 5. Ever PALMA OLIVARES MEX 92 1:23:48 6. Manish SINGH IND 91 1:23:58 7. Hyun-Sub KIM KOR 85 1:25:08 8. Yadong LUO CHN 92 1:25:17 9. Jesús Tadeo VEGA MEX 94 1:26:08 10. Quentin REW NZL 84 1:26:11 11. Yucheng HAN CHN 78 1:26:58 12. Peng LI CHN 94 1:27:47 13. JPN 87 1:27:49 14. Yuki KURUMISAWA JPN 95 1:28:15 15. Rhydian COWLEY AUS 91 1:28:36 16. Byung-Kwang CHOE KOR 91 1:29:52 17. Hyun-Myung JOO KOR 97 1:30:23 18. Omar PINEDA MEX 94 1:30:51 19. Brendon READING AUS 89 1:32:53 20. Nak-Hyun KIM KOR 95 1:46:56 Artur BRZOZOWSKI POL 85 DQ Chun-Hung TSE HKG 81 DQ José Luis DOCTOR MEX 96 DNF Pedro Daniel GÓMEZ MEX 90 DNF Jakub JELONEK POL 85 DNF Perseus KARLSTRÖM SWE 90 DNF Isaac PALMA OLIVARES MEX 90 DNF Eder SÁNCHEZ MEX 86 DNF

The small Australasian group had mixed fortunes. While New Zealanders Alana Barber (6th with 1:35:28) and Quentin Rew (10th with 1:26:11) did well, Australianns Rhydian Cowley (1:28:36) and Brendon Reading (1:32:53) were further down the ranks.

Lots of photos at https://www.facebook.com/fred.bianchi/posts/10156009234359897

As mentioned above, the Racewalking Challenge was part of the bigger Chinese National Grand Prix which was held over 2 days. Saturday featured the Open 20km, U20 10km and U18 10km/5km events, with the usual ridiculous depth and quality on show. Check out the results below.

Open Men 20km Walk 1. Wang Rui CHN 6 Jan 96 1:21:58 2. Jin Xiangqian CHN 18 Mar 97 1:22:35 3. Bian Tongda CHN 1 Apr 91 1:22:35 4. Yin Jiaxing CHN 16 Mar 94 1:24:07 5. Zhang Jun CHN 20 Jul 98 1:24:11 6. Sun Song CHN 15 Dec 96 1:24:19 7. Li Shijia CHN 14 Jan 92 1:25:02 8. Wang Kaihua CHN 16 Feb 94 1:25:04 9. Yadong Luo CHN 92 1:25:17 10. Sun Chenggang CHN 11 Mar 91 1:25:21 11. Xu Faguang CHN 17 May 87 1:25:35 12. Li Tianlei CHN 13 Jan 95 1:25:49 13. Yan Dexiang CHN 18 Jun 93 1:25:54 14. Zhong Heng CHN 7 Nov 95 1:26:17 15. Han Jijiang CHN 20 Jul 93 1:26:32 16. Cha Jinhong CHN 27 May 97 1:26:40 17. Wang Libo CHN 9 Feb 97 1:26:40

4 18. Zeng Qingcun CHN 3 Apr 95 1:26:53 19. Yucheng Han CHN 78 1:26:58 20. Liu Xu CHN 11 Dec 94 1:27:06 21. Liu Jian CHN 19 May 95 1:27:07 22. Yang Liang CHN 25 Apr 93 1:27:10 23. Chen Ding CHN 5 Aug 92 1:27:16 24. Yu Yongcai CHN 23 May 98 1:27:32 25. Wei Xubao CHN 1 Feb 93 1:27:38 26. Peng Li CHN 94 1:27:47 27. Xiong Denghua CHN 29 May 95 1:27:48 28. Niu Wenchao CHN 20 Apr 98 1:28:00 29. Luo Jiayu CHN 3 Apr 98 1:28:28 30. Jie Jinzhu CHN 25 Jul 95 1:28:30 31. Wang Gang CHN 2 Apr 91 1:28:34 32. Li Jinguo CHN 4 May 95 1:28:52 33. Yan Luqiang CHN 21 Jan 96 1:28:52 34. Yang Hu CHN 10 Sep 96 1:29:17 35. Zhu Guowen CHN 20 Aug 97 1:29:35 36. Liu Jianmin CHN 9 Mar 88 1:29:50 37. Yao Biao CHN 15 Apr 96 1:30:09 38. Yuan Zisheng CHN 16 Dec 97 1:30:26 39. Wang Chao CHN 2 May 96 1:30:36 40. Ma Youshan CHN 21 Sep 95 1:30:43 41. Gong Fanglong CHN 12 Jul 98 1:30:50 42. Xie Sichao CHN 28 Feb 93 1:30:52 43. Wu Qianlong CHN 30 Jan 90 1:30:52 44. Men Fuqiang CHN 22 Jun 92 1:31:05 45. Ceng Qingsheng CHN 3 Apr 95 1:31:41 46. Zhang Rongjin CHN 24 Apr 96 1:32:04 47. Li Liangyong CHN 28 May 96 1:32:27 48. Zhao Fujie CHN 11 Nov 93 1:32:38 49. Wang Sufu CHN 12 Dec 97 1:32:38 50. Wang Yan CHN 6 Oct 96 1:32:58 51. Zhang Wanxin CHN 25 Oct 96 1:33:07 52. Peng Liang CHN 4 Apr 96 1:33:14 53. Gao Wenkui CHN 28 Jul 95 1:33:19 54. Cui Shigang CHN 5 May 96 1:33:42 55. Xu Jie CHN 1 Jan 93 1:33:49 56. Li Shuai CHN 6 Jan 95 1:33:58 57. Li Jichao CHN 10 May 96 1:33:59 58. Liu Haitao CHN 7 Mar 96 1:34:30 59. Liu Fucheng CHN 7 Mar 99 1:34:37 60. Cheng Min CHN 6 Jul 91 1:35:02 61. Liu Wenxing CHN 5 Dec 96 1:35:19 62. Tian Xu CHN 31 Jan 96 1:35:31 63. Huang Cheng CHN 8 May 97 1:35:53 64. Tong Anqi CHN 29 Sep 92 1:35:53 65. Yang Dedong CHN 23 Nov 96 1:36:33 66. Yang Yingyi CHN 9 Feb 95 1:36:34 67. Zhou Hongrui CHN 25 May 97 1:36:56 68. Dai Jianxing CHN 11 Aug 96 1:36:59 69. Ga Sang CHN 9 Jun 97 1:37:00 70. Liu Qingdong CHN 9 Dec 97 1:37:16 71. Song Huazhang CHN 13 Feb 99 1:37:16 72. Wei Xinmeng CHN 5 Jun 97 1:37:21 73. Tang Yifan CHN 19 Dec 97 1:37:22 74. Deng Jingsong CHN 9 Sep 97 1:38:52 75. Wang Mingli CHN 23 Dec 94 1:39:14 76. Du Dongdong CHN 8 Dec 95 1:39:25 77. Zhao Ziyang CHN 29 Jul 91 1:39:51 78. Huang Jian CHN 24 Jun 94 1:43:24 79. Bai Xuejin CHN 6 Jun 87 1:44:20 80. Li Shixi CHN 8 Mar 98 1:46:15 81. Jiang Tao CHN 29 Jan 97 1:47:57 Lu Xiaotong CHN DNF Zhao Qi CHN 14 Jan 93 DNF Zhang Zhi CHN 22 Jul 94 DQ

5 Bi Jianzhong CHN 27 Nov 97 DQ Wang Chengwei CHN DNF Li Jiahui CHN 18 Nov 92 DNF Su Xianzhen CHN 26 Feb 95 DNF Zhou Shipeng CHN 9 Feb 96 DQ Meng Zhongkai CHN 15 Dec 97 DNF Wang Da CHN 18 Mar 97 DNF Ma Liangshan CHN 12 Apr 96 DNF Zhou Yangjun CHN 17 Oct 96 DNF Li Chenchen CHN 7 Dec 97 DQ Fang Yinxin CHN 8 Mar 97 DQ Zhong Xing CHN 6 Mar 95 DNF Mo Zhenfeng CHN 28 Feb 95 DQ

Open Women 20km Walk 1. Xiuzhi Lu CHN 93 1:31:01 2. Jiayu Yang CHN 96 1:31:04 3. Na Wang CHN 95 1:31:09 4. Wang Yingliu CHN 1 Mar 92 1:31:48 5. Nie Jingjing CHN 1 Mar 88 1:32:50 6. Ji Yefang CHN 4 Mar 96 1:33:20 7. La Mao CHN 17 Dec 96 1:33:38 8. Jiang Shanshan CHN 28 Feb 97 1:33:39 9. He Qin CHN 23 Mar 92 1:34:17 10. Zhou Kang CHN 24 Dec 89 1:34:29 11. Yang Peili CHN 7 Aug 94 1:35:11 12. Liang Rui CHN 18 Jun 94 1:35:12 13. Duan Dandan CHN 23 May 95 1:35:12 14. Li Qiuye CHN 2 Dec 93 1:36:36 15. Yang Lei CHN 29 Nov 95 1:37:10 16. Tang Caihong CHN 29 Apr 96 1:37:15 17. Wang Lixue CHN 15 Dec 96 1:37:19 18. Gao Shan CHN 8 Apr 95 1:38:17 19. Dong Genmiao CHN 16 Jul 94 1:38:17 20. Zhao Wenli CHN 11 Dec 96 1:38:25 21. Jiang Pengqin CHN 5 Sep 95 1:38:34 22. Zhao Huimin CHN 12 Oct 93 1:38:40 23. Wang Zhenzhen CHN 3 Feb 95 1:38:40 24. Sun Huanhuan CHN 15 Mar 90 1:38:48 25. Zhao Qianyuan CHN 11 Mar 95 1:39:09 26. Chen Chen CHN 25 Aug 95 1:39:14 27. Li Ping CHN 7 Jan 94 1:39:25 28. Zhang Yan CHN 3 Jan 97 1:39:52 29. Zhang Lifang CHN 6 Dec 97 1:39:58 30. Xie Lijuan CHN 14 May 93 1:40:46 31. Que Yumei CHN 8 Feb 97 1:41:01 32. Zhao Fenyan CHN 21 Jul 96 1:41:32 33. Xia Kaili CHN 16 Mar 96 1:41:38 34. Cun Hailu CHN 15 Aug 97 1:41:49 35. Hou Yongbo CHN 15 Sep 94 1:42:07 36. Zhang Xuhong CHN 2 Jan 94 1:42:45 37. Zhu Kunyu CHN 14 May 96 1:43:28 38. Wang Chen CHN 18 Feb 94 1:43:31 39. Wang Yalan CHN 19 Feb 93 1:43:49 40. Wang Yiquan CHN 22 Jun 97 1:47:42 41. Lei Fei CHN 8 Aug 97 1:47:44 42. Yang Zixing CHN 7 Mar 99 1:48:25 43. Chi Meijiao CHN 28 Jun 96 1:48:32 44. Ma Lingyu CHN 6 Jan 95 1:49:10 Zhang Chunxiu CHN 2 May 97 DQ Xu Liqin CHN 6 Feb 90 DNF Ma Yiming CHN 10 Sep 97 DNF Mao Yanxue CHN 15 Feb 94 DNF Li Leilei CHN 18 Aug 89 DNF Yang Qingqucuo CHN 13 Jan 97 DQ Wang Xiaohui CHN 16 Aug 97 DNF

6 U20 Men 10km Walk 1. Zhang Hongliang CHN 1 Jan 99 41:19 2. Bai Liga CHN 21 Jan 98 41:25 3. Guo Shuqi CHN 26 Aug 98 41:34 4. Xu Hao CHN 6 Feb 99 41:45 5. Gao Yingchao CHN 18 Jan 98 42:03 6. Cao Wenlong CHN 4 Mar 98 42:10 7. Zhang Honggang CHN 16 Jan 99 42:38 8. Du Yucheng CHN 17 Mar 99 42:38 9. Shi Xiukun CHN 24 Jun 99 42:48 10. Li Kewen CHN 7 Mar 99 42:54 11. Wang Zhiming CHN 24 Feb 99 42:55 12. Han Baoqiang CHN 27 Feb 99 42:56 13. Qu Tao CHN 31 Oct 99 43:01 14. Hu Linfeng CHN 1 Feb 98 43:13 15. Wen Yongjie CHN 28 Sep 99 43:16 16. Zhang Mingkai CHN 30 Sep 98 43:18 17. Li Yandong CHN 2 Feb 98 43:18 18. Huan Haofeng CHN 18 Apr 98 43:26 19. Wang Sen CHN 11 Jan 99 43:26 20. Li Jinyu CHN 43:37 21. Wu Bing CHN 8 Jul 98 43:56 22. Li Yuan CHN 10 Oct 99 44:03 23. Cao Sen CHN 24 Feb 98 44:13 24. Chen Long CHN 18 Dec 95 44:13 25. Xie Tianqi CHN 21 Mar 98 44:14 26. Ye Ting CHN 6 Oct 98 44:34 27. Wang Dong CHN 11 Jan 99 44:36 28. Wang Nan an CHN 18 Nov 98 44:37 29. Xin Zhaoyang CHN 30 Jun 98 44:40 30. Li Wenbing CHN 24 Sep 99 44:40 31. Yang Kai CHN 24 Jun 98 44:44 32. Li Xiaobin CHN 10 Oct 99 45:16 33. Zhao Zongze CHN 15 Aug 99 45:29 34. Xu Wenzhi CHN 9 Aug 99 45:41 35. Tian Huijie CHN 9 May 98 45:58 36. Yu Dian CHN 7 Mar 98 46:47 Lu Ning CHN 12 Feb 99 DQ Ruan Zhiguo CHN 8 Aug 99 DNF Chen Qiang CHN 22 Aug 99 DNF Zheng Ke CHN 10 Jan 98 DQ Liu Shun CHN 1 Oct 98 DQ

U20 Women 10km Walk 1. Su Wenxiu CHN 28 Jun 98 46:21 2. Xiao Han CHN 12 Nov 98 46:25 3. Wang Qiong CHN 1 Jan 98 47:00 4. Shi Yuxia CHN 1 Jan 99 47:14 5. Yang Weiwei CHN 3 Aug 99 47:25 6. Ge Sangzhuoma CHN 16 Jul 98 48:08 7. Yan Peirong CHN 26 Sep 99 48:34 8. Hu Lanlan CHN 3 Jan 99 48:57 9. Wang Jiahui CHN 1 Jan 98 49:20 10. Li Jie CHN 23 Sep 97 49:47 11. Zhao Tongmin CHN 15 Jan 99 50:23 12. Guo Nuo CHN 22 Jun 99 50:33 13. Deng Xu CHN 1 Feb 98 50:42 14. Zhang Yidan CHN 24 Dec 99 50:47 15. Cao Cailing CHN 18 Mar 98 51:12 16. Liu Xin CHN 17 Jul 98 51:17 17. Zhao Xue CHN 12 Nov 99 51:39 18. Li Jiarui CHN 26 May 98 51:47 19. Liao Wenqing CHN 9 Jan 99 52:36 20. Zhu Mingyue CHN 10 Oct 99 52:57 21. Zhu Ruonan CHN 14 Mar 98 53:21 22. Zhang Rui CHN 16 May 95 53:25 23. Wang Jing CHN 15 Aug 98 54:17

7 24. Chang Yanling CHN 20 Jun 98 55:18 Yang Zixing CHN 7 Mar 99 DNF Wu Xiaoqing CHN 29 Jul 97 DNF Bei Xingru CHN 10 Apr 99 DNF Qiang Baqunzong CHN 15 Aug 98 DNF Bai Maquzhen CHN 1 Oct 99 DQ Liu Xinli CHN 14 Aug 98 DQ Xue Ke CHN 14 Mar 98 DQ

U18 Men 10km Walk 1. Qian Haifeng CHN 8 Jul 00 42:55 2. Li Zhenlong CHN 44:20 3. Qiong Da CHN 6 Mar 00 44:41 4. Liang Buhui CHN 45:49 5. Li Haiping CHN 5 Feb 00 46:04 6. Sun Xiaolong CHN 46:12 7. Bai Shilong CHN 46:46 8. Wu Chao CHN 47:17 Liu Youning CHN 17 Feb 00 DQ Li Chuanwei CHN 20 May 00 DNF Zhang Yao CHN 11 Jan 00 DQ Xu Lin CHN DQ Chen Weihao CHN DNF

U18 Women 5km Walk Race A 1. Zhang Xiaole CHN 17 Jan 00 22:42 2. Han Longmei CHN 23:18 3. Fu Yanhong CHN 1 Mar 01 24:30 4. Wang Jiao CHN 25:11 5. Hu Zhen CHN 30 May 01 27:33

U18 Women 5km Walk Race B 1. Bai Xueying CHN 26 Apr 00 23:09 2. Wan Jinyu CHN 28 Jun 02 24:42

U18 Women 10 km Walk 1. Xi Ricuo CHN 9 Aug 01 49:34 2. Liu Sitao CHN 49:38

The second day of competition saw the Open 50km and the U20 30km events. I haven't been able to find any official results but marciadalmondo reports (http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx?id=2769) that the 50km was won by Wang Qin (4:00:22) ahead of Chen Rui (4:04:36) and Han Jijiang (4:11:14). 21 walkers started but only 7 finished the 50km; 11 DNF and 3 DQ. The start included 3 women but unfortunately none managed to finish. The 50km race also saw Yu Wei (5th place in in 2016) having a special 35km time trial. The aim had been to produce a time around 2:28:00 but he faded a little, finishing in 2:31:52

The 30km U20 saw a win to Lu Ning (2:24:05), ahead of Wen Yongjie (2:24:27) and Li Xiaobing (2:26:43). Of the 27 starters, only 8 finished, with 15 DNF and 3 DQ.

IAAF Challenge winners Lu Xiuzhi and Caio Bonfim (www.iaaf.org)

8 56TH ALL-JAPAN RACE WALKING MEET, WAJIMA, JAPAN, SATURDAY 15 APRIL

The 56th All-Japan Race Walking Meet in Wajima included the 101st 50km national championship, won by (3:47:18), ahead of Satoshi Maruo (3:49:17) and Hayato Katsuki (3:49:49). The only other walker to break the 4 hour barrier was Yuki Ito (3:58:53). A big attrition rate saw only 12 of the 25 starters finish the race. Well reported as usual by marciadalmondo – see http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx?id=2770. I am told that, although this was simply a men’s 50km championship, JAAF intends to include a women’s 50km title from 2018. Great news.

50 km walk National Championship 1. Hirooki Arai JPN 88 3:47:18 2. Satoshi Maruo JPN 91 3:49:17 3. Hayato Katsuki JPN 90 3:49:49 4. Yuki Ito JPN 92 3:58:53 5. Tomofumi Kanno JPN 93 4:04:58 6. Shuto Goto JPN 94 4:07:56 7. Toru Yamamoto JPN 90 4:09:55 8. Hideaki Miyajima JPN 94 4:18:04 9. Takafumi Higuma JPN 82 4:25:18 10. Hiroka Murakami JPN 97 4:30:46 11. Takane Sato JPN 93 4:36:21 12. Tatsuya Tanaka JPN 90 4:47:22 JPN 92 DNF JPN 83 DNF Koichiro Morioka JPN 85 DNF Takeshi Okuma JPN 83 DNF Kazuaki Sasaki JPN 97 DNF Takahito Otsubo JPN 85 DNF Shunn Sakai JPN 96 DNF Nobuharu Sasaki JPN 96 DNF Yuki Yamazaki JPN 84 DQ Arata Saito JPN 84 DQ Katsuya Kimura JPN 96 DQ Tatsuya Abiko JPN 96 DQ Tsuyoshi Tasaka JPN 93 DQ

Hirooki Arai wins the Japanese 50km championship (photo http://www.marciadalmondo.com)

Open 10km walks were also contested, showcasing the wonderful Japanese depth and quality. Wins to Takumi Saito (40:59) and Chiaki Asada (46:07).

Men 10km Race Walk 1. Takumi SAITO JPN 93 40:59 2. Takahasi KAZUKI JPN 96 41:30 3. Yuto OSHIMA JPN 95 41:43 4. Yasushi MORITA JPN 98 41:48

9 5. Hiroki FUKUZAWA JPN 42:13 6. Yuu TAKAHASHI JPN 42:16 7. Kouhei KOWAKI JPN 96 42:21 8. Hironari TOMATSU JPN 93 43:10 9. Tekuto TERADA JPN 97 43:11 10. Takahiro HIWADA JPN 95 43:23 11. Tomoyasu INOUE JPN 43:36 12. Takahiro UEDA JPN 44:00 13. Hikaru OKABE JPN 44:00 14. Yusaku SHIRIINASHI JPN 44:10 15. Itaru AOYAGI JPN 95 44:20 16. Tomohiro OIKAWA JPN 44:24 17. Rikuto KAMBARA JPN 44:32 18. Morikawa MASAKI JPN 44:35 19. So YOSHIDA JPN 44:36 20. Nobuharu SASAKI JPN 96 44:38 21. Yuuto YANAGISHAWA JPN 44:39 22. Hiwatari YUTO JPN 45:02 23. Naoki SHIMADA JPN 92 45:06 24. Kyohei IIDA JPN 45:07 25. Masataka OZEKI JPN 45:08 26. Shuya SEMBA JPN 95 45:37 27. Yuya YUNOKI JPN 45:42 28. Shyouhei YOSHIDA JPN 45:55 29. Keisuke WARITA JPN 45:57 30. Daichi KIDO JPN 46:06 31. Hiroaki TAKEDA JPN 46:21 32. Masuda SHOTA JPN 46:40 33. Hiroto HAYASHI JPN 46:40 34. Tetsuya OKUNO JPN 96 47:35 35. Keisuke IWATA JPN 47:54 36. Matsumoto KAITO JPN 48:06 37. Ryota KUROKI JPN 48:15 38. Naohiro KOYAMA JPN 48:24

Women 10km Race Walk 1. Chiaki ASADA JPN 91 46:07 2. Sae MATSUMOTO JPN 93 46:24 3. Rena GOTO JPN 95 46:52 4. Yuki YOSHIZUMI JPN 97 47:07 5. Serena SONODA JPN 98 47:31 6. Chika YAMADA JPN 95 48:53 7. Chiaki YAMATO JPN 90 50:31 8. Chiho TAHIRA JPN 51:18 9. Sakiha OZAWA JPN 97 51:40 10. Rena SERIKAWA JPN 53:08 11. Yumi TACHIBANA JPN 53:55 12. Fujita YOSHIKO JPN 54:13 13. Yurina YAMAZAKI JPN 55:18 14. Aya ISHIZAKI JPN 56:39 15. Tomoko YAMASHITA JPN 56:51 16. Chiharu KANAGAWA JPN 59:44

The U20 10km wins went to Sho Sakazaki (42:00) and Yumi Yoshida (48:22).

U20 Men 10km walk 1. Sho Sakazaki JPN 42:00 2. Yu Takeuchi JPN 42:20 3. Hiroto Jusho JPN 42:48 4. Yusuke Murao JPN 43:03 5. Yusuke Hattori JPN 43:24 6. Atsuto Kawada JPN 98 43:40 7. Kiichi Takiguchi JPN 43:53 8. Kouki Murakami JPN 44:04 9. Yuhsuke Naka JPN 44:22 10. Takatsugu Nakagawa JPN 44:22 11. Ryo Hamanishi JPN 44:51

10 12. Kouki Okamoto JPN 45:05 13. Masaru Suzuki JPN 45:15 14. Mizuki Kitada JPN 45:28 15. Kazuma Yada JPN 45:33 16. Kento Imamura JPN 45:41 17. Kouta Yamauchi JPN 45:45 18. Kousuke Nose JPN 45:58

U20 Women 10km walk 1. Yumi Yoshida JPN 99 48:22 2. Shione Honma JPN 48:58 3. Maika Yagi JPN 99 49:17 4. Saori Nishimura JPN 98 49:44 5. Nanako Otani JPN 99 49:52 6. Minori Yamada JPN 50:25 7. Aguri Hashi JPN 51:28 8. Asaki Shishida JPN 51:39 9. Ayaka Miki JPN 52:06 10. Akiho Sano JPN 52:25 11. Mami Kurimoto JPN 52:41 12. Risako Oda JPN 53:27 13. Mana Takahashi JPN 53:42 14. Sae Kitakohji JPN 54:22 15. Fuka Yajima JPN 54:30 16. Kanon Morita JPN 54:47

GOSHEN COLLEGE RACE WALK, GOSHEN, INDIANA, SATURDAY 15 APRIL

To Goshen, Indiana, for a college meet with 5000m and 3000m walks.

5000m Walk Men 1. Sam Elmi (So.) Cornerstone 23:52.4 2. Dave Swarts 51 Pegasus AC 23:54.4 3. Jacob Benson (Sr.) Cornerstone 25:33.1 4. Sawyer Biddle (Jr.) Goshen 25:35.7 5. Jason Rabie (So.) Cornerstone 26:47.1 6. Isaac Winthrow - Unattached 29:38.6

5000m Walk Women 1. Amberly Melendez (Fr.) Cardinal Stritch 25:23.3 2. Bailey Brogan (Sr.) Cornerstone 28:04.2 3. Siana Emery (Fr.) Goshen 28:44.3 4. Jessie Langmeyer (So.) Cornerstone 29:40.3 5. Liz Larsen (Fr.) Concordia (Mich) 31:38.9

3000m Walk 1. Hayley Bickford (Jr.) Gorham High School 18:34.6

MARCIADALMONDO AND OMARCHADOR ROUNDUP

Marciadalmondo had 8 press releases this week

• Mon 17 Apr - Reviewing 50km results from the first 4 months of 2017 http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx?id=2771

• Sun 16 Apr - Hirooki Arai wins Japanese 50km championship http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx?id=2770

• Sun 16 Apr - Results of 50km at Chinese Grand Prix http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx?id=2769

• Sat 15 Apr - Results of Day One of the All-Japan Racewalking Meet http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx?id=2768

• Sat 15 Apr - Results of 20km races in Taicang today

11 http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx?id=2767

• Fri 14 Apr - Preview of IAAF Challenge Event in Taicang tomorrow http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx?id=2766

• Fri 14 Apr - IAAF Council rejects push to remove 50km http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx?id=2765

• Tue 11 Apr - Russians Sergey Shirobokov and Yana Smerdova eligible for international competitions http://www.marciadalmondo.com/eng/dettagli_news.aspx?id=2764 and Omarchador had 12 press releases

• Mon 17 Apr - Results of 10km races from Wajima, Japan http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/as-provas-de-10-km-em-wajima-japao.html

• Mon 17 Apr - Arai wins Japanese 50km championship http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/arai-sagra-se-campeao-japones-de-50-km.html

• Sun 16 Apr - Lu and Bonfim win Challenge events in Taicang,China http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/xiuzhi-lu-e-caio-bonfim-triunfam-no.html

• Sat 15 Apr - Preview of All-Japan meet in Wajima http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/wajima-apura-marchadores-japoneses-dos.html

• Fri 14 Apr - Portuguese judge Joaquim Graça on panel for Taicang this weekend http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/joaquim-graca-vai-atuar-em-taicang-na.html

• Fri 14 Apr - The IAAF Racewalk Challenge returns to Taicang this weekend http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/de-regresso-taicang-para-o-challenge-da.html

• Thu 13 Apr - IAAF Council rejects any changes to T&F program for 2020 Olympics http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/aifa-segura-marcha-ate-toquio-2020.html

• Thu 13 Apr - Results of Brazilian U20 walk championships last weekend http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/vencedores-do-campeonato-brasileiros.html

• Wed 12 Apr - Results of Balkan racewalk championships in Florina, Greece, last weekend http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/campeonatos-dos-balcas-em-florina.html

• Wed 12 Apr - Leo Köpp and Teresa Zurek win U20 races in Podebrady http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/leo-kopp-e-teresa-zurek-vencem-10-km.html

• Tue 11 Apr - Colombian Sandra Galvis wins women's 20km in Podebrady http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/colombiana-sandra-galvis-impoe-se-nos.html

• Tue 11 Apr - German Christopher Linke wins men's 20km in Podebrady http://omarchador.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/christopher-linke-e-lider-europeu-dos.html

OUT AND ABOUT

• The Ukrainian Athletics Federation wrote on its website last week that athletes on the country's national team using performance-enhancing drugs could serve very short bans in secret if they confess. Secret bans, however, would break IAAF rules. See http://www.nzherald.co.nz/athletics/news/article.cfm?c_id=19&objectid=11836721&ref=rss.

• The Ukraine was quick to apologize to the IAAF and to WADA the next day, claiming that this was a bad summary of an athlete seminar held last month and they would never do anything to break the WADA Code or that did not follow IAAF rules. A bit embarrasing for them, to say the least! See http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1049183/ukraine-apologise- to-wada-and-iaaf-over-embarrassing-amnesty-claim-for-drugs-cheats.

• Italian 1992 Olympic walker is still pretty fast on his feet by the sound of things - http://www.ansa.it/abruzzo/notizie/2017/04/11/olimpionico-de-benedictis-insegue-ladro_76acab12-f5ae-460b-9e21- 93f456161b7e.html. It also made the local news – see video at http://video.sky.it/sport/ciclismo/abruzzo-rapinatore-battuto- dallex-marciatore-de-benedictis/v337101.vid.

12 • The IAAF Doping Review board has cleared the way for 7 Russian athletes to compete as neutrals while the Russian team is banned for doping. See http://www.supersport.com/athletics/article.aspx?Id=3953744. The list includes 2 racewalkers.

◦ 18 year old Sergey Shirobokov (20km PB 1:18:25) is a product of the infamous Saransk walking centre. He won the Russian National 20km earlier this year with doping cheats in 2nd, 3rd and 4th places. ◦ 17 year old Yana Smerdova (10km PB 45:33)

• Congratulations to Canadian walker who is Athletics Canada's Fred Begley Memorial Trophy winner for 2016 Off Track Athlete of the Year.

• Athletics New Zealand has named the first 6 athletes for the 2017 IAAF World Track & Field Championships in London. The list includes Quentin Rew who is selected for the 50km. Quentin is also hoping for selection in the 20km, as is fellow Kiwi Alana Barber, but the AthsNZ 20km selection criteria are horrendous (1:21:00/1:21:30 and 1:30:00/1:31:00). It doesn't pay to be a NZ T&F athlete nowadays! Their standards are so tough. See the announcment at http://www.athletics.org.nz/High-Performance/News/2017-iaaf-world-track-field-championships-initial-team- announcement.

• Rio to host the 2020 Pan-American Masters Games apparently. "Building on the legacy of the Rio 2016, the organisers of the second Pan-American Masters Games – which are expected to be held in the second half of 2020 and last for 9 to 10 days – intend to use the Olympic venues as much as possible, including the Maracanã Stadium for the opening ceremony. This will offer a unique opportunity for Masters athletes to follow in the footsteps of Olympians. The Rio 2016 venues are currently in the process of being converted into their post-Games configurations and will be ideal venues for the Masters athletes, who will also be able to take advantage of the new hotels and tourism infrastructure that was developed ahead of Rio 2016." Don't they mean rebuild them! Good luck on that one. See https://www.olympic.org/news/rio-to-host-pan-american-masters-games-in-2020.

• The lack of progress made by Russia in anti-doping reforms has "disappointed" IAAF president Sebastian Coe. Speaking at the IAAF council meeting in London last Thursday, Coe said that the six milestones set out for the reinstatement of the Russian Athletics Federation are still outstanding. Furthermore, the taskforce concluded "it does not look like they will be met any time soon". Their concerns centre on problems with testing, the difficulties in getting biological passport samples, issues around closed cities, and the employment of coaches who were linked to tainted regimes. See http://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/39596766.

• Russia's appeal against being banned from the 2016 Rio Paralympics due to widespread doping was rejected by the Swiss federal tribunal last Wednesday in the latest foiled legal challenge. See http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more- sports/others/doping-russian-paralympic-ban-appeal-rejected/articleshow/58153846.cms?from=mdr.

• Russia could face a longer spell out of international competition unless Yelena Isinbayeva is replaced as head of the country's national anti-doping agency, according to Rune Andersen, head of the IAAF Taskforce investigating doping in Russia. The appointment, which WADA tried to block, has sent the wrong message and could harm the reinstatement chances of Russian Athletics Federation. See http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1049227/head-of-iaaf-taskforce- warns-appointment-of-isinbayeva-as-chair-of-rusada-could-delay-reinstatement.

• WADA finally updated its Prohibited Association List on 10 April to include Russians Sergei Portugalov, Vladimir Kazarin, Alex Melnikov and Vladimir Mokhnev, 17 months after such action was recommended by the first WADA Independent Commission Report in November 2015. Portugalov was chief of the Russian Athletics Federation Medical Commission. Kazarin was the Russian national team 800m coach and Melnikov was a senior endurance coach. Finally some justice is being served on those behind the drugs program. They join disgraced walks coach Viktor Chegin who was

13 benned for life last year. See http://www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/wada-addition-russians-prohibited-association-list- highlights-failures/.

• The Russian swimming federation says it will no longer be covering athletes’ fines relating to anti-doping responsibilities, instead passing those fines on to the athletes themselves. Apparently it's costing them too much money. Oh, come on! Another example of all that is wrong in Russian sport. See https://swimswam.com/russian-swim-federation-stop-paying- anti-doping-fines-athletes/.

• Cycling's Team Sky continues to be under the spotlight, with UK Anti-Doping investigating an allegation that some of its riders were injected with Fluimucil and other substances to aid recovery even after cycling's world governing body banned needles at races in 2011. None of the substances are illegal under WADA rules but there are concerns about the ethics of administering them intravenously and the possibility that Team Sky may have breached the "no needles" policy adopted by cycling's world governing body the UCI. See http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/04/13/ukad-investigating-team-sky- allegations.

VALE MURRAY LAMBDEN

I was shocked this morning to read of the sudden passing of Isle of Man legend Murray Lambden. Since starting as a young athlete in 1970, Murray had been involved in athletics for more than 46 years, as a race walker, marathon runner, statistician, official and website coordinator for Manx Athletics and the Parish Walk. Always a huge supporter of the 85 mile Parish Walk, he won it in 1978 with a time of 16:19:37 and finished on many other occasions. In 1981 he set a British 30km racewalk record and he represented that country 4 times in 1981 and 1982. He also represented the Isle of Man in the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, coming 8 th in the 30km walk in 2:22:18. The following brief biography tells something of a life full of highs. We will all miss you mate!

14 MORE RACEWALKING STAMP NEWS

Readers will know that I am always keen to find any new postage stamps that feature our sport of racewalking and that I document them all on webpage http://www.vrwc.org.au/vrwcstamps.shtml.

I was already aware of a 1972 racewalking stamp, issued as part of an 8 stamp sheetlet by Nagaland in celebration of the 1972 Olympic Games in . This stamp is already featured on the above VRWC webpage.

Alex Wijsman has let me know of two further editions of this 8 stamp sheetlet, one in 1973 to recognize Scouts Day and one in 1974 to honour the Football World Cup in Munich. These two re-issues feature the same 8 stamps which are now overprinted with additional words. Here is what they look like:

I will now be adding these to the stamp page. Thanks Alex!

AUSTRALIAN TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Australian team for the 2017 Oceania Athletics Championships, to be contested in Fiji in June, was announced last Tuesday. See http://www.athletics.com.au/News/oceania-athletics-championships-to-welcome-more-than-150-athletes. It includes 5 walkers

U20 10000m Walk Anna Cross (SA) U18 5000m Walk Connor Frew, (ACT) Ryan Thomson (NSW), Mackayla Davison (VIC) and Rhiannon Lovegrove (SA)

15 This is a wholly self-funded team. Athletes are responsible for all costs, including but not limited to travel, accommodation and team uniform. As a guide, Athletics Australia expects that the costs will be approximately $2,000.00 per person.

Athletics Australia last Wednesday confirmed the first component of the T&F team to contest the 29 th Summer in this coming August. At the 2015 edition in Gwangju (KOR), Australia’s athletics section won an impressive five medals, with Dane Bird-Smith leading the way to gold in the men’s 20km walk in a time of 1:21:30. Two 20km walkers named so far amongst the 34, namely Rachel Tallent and Jess Pickles. See http://athletics.com.au/News/universiade-medallists-return-in-taipei.

Open 20km Walk Rachel Tallent (VIC) and Jess Pickes (QLD)

DATES…DATES…DATES

As usual, I finish with a list of upcoming events on the local, national and international fronts. Let me know of any errors/omissions.

2016/2017 Australian/Victorian Key Dates Apr 22-23, 2017 Australian Centurions 24 Hour Walk Championships, Coburg, VIC Apr 22-23, 2017 Australian Little Athletics T&F Championships (U13), Sydney, NSW Jun 9-12, 2017 Australian Masters T&F Championships, Darwin, NT. See http://ntmastersathletics.com.au/ Jun 11 (Sun), 2017 51st LBG Racewalking Carnival, Stomlo Forest Park, Canberra, ACT Aug 6 (Sun), 2017 AMA 20km Roadwalk Championships, Adelaide, SA Aug 27 (Sun), 2017 Australian Roadwalk Championships, Woolongong, NSW

2016/2017 International Dates April 21-30, 2017 World Masters Games 2017, Auckland, NZ. See www.worldmastersgames2017.co.nz April 23, 2017 Naumburg Racewalking Carnival, GER May 21, 2017 European Race Walking Cup, Podebrady, CZE June 3, 2017 XXXI Gran Premio Cantones de La Coruna, Spain June 9, 2017 European Athletics Walks Meet, Altyus, LTU Jun 29 – Jul 1, 2017 Oceania Area Championships, Suva, Fiji July 12-16, 2017 10th World Youth T&F Championships, Niarobi, Kenya – THIS IS THE FINAL EDITION August 4-13, 2017 16th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, London, UK. See http://www.london2017athletics.com/ On Sunday 13 August, all 3 racewalks will be staged on The Mall, St James Park, London August 19-30, 2017 29th Summer Universiade, Taipei, Taiwan Sept 9, 2017 8th Race Walking Day in Veenendaal (Dutch Sprint Triathlon), Veenendaal, NED Sept 24-17, 2017 Around Lake Taihu 4 Day multi day walks race, CHN

2017 Remaining IAAF Racewalk Challenge Series June 3, 2017 XXXI Gran Premio Cantones de La Coruna, Spain August 5-13, 2017 16th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, London, UK.

Looking Further Ahead Apr 4-15, 2018 XXI Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, QLD (20km roadwalks). See http://www.gc2018.com Men’s and Women’s 20km walk, Currumbin Beachfront, Sunday 8 April May 5-6, 2018 28th IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships, Taicang, China July 2018 16th World Junior T&F Championships, , Finland Sept 2018 22nd World Masters Athletics T&F Championships, Malaga, Spain Sept 28 – Oct 6, 2019 17th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, , Qatar July 2019 30th Summer Universiade, Brasilia, Brazil 2019 World Masters Indoors T&F Championships, Torun, Poland July 24 – Aug 9, 2020 32nd Olympic Games, Tokyo July 20 – Aug 1, 2020 23rd World Masters T&F Championships, Toronto, Canada Aug 2021 18th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Eugene, USA July 18-30, 2022 XXII Commonwealth Games, Durban, South Africa

Tim Erickson, Secretary, VRWC, [email protected] Home: 03 93235978 Mob: 0412 257 496 Copies of recent newsletters are kept on the VRWC website (http://www.vrwc.org.au)

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